Combined side delivery rake and swath turner



April 1966 R. M. WORREL 3,243,945

COMBINED SIDE DELIVERY RAKE AND SWATH TURNER Original Filed Aug. 21,1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 RICHARD M. WORREL INVENTOP May/W A 77'ORNEVS iCOMBINED SIDE DELIVERY RAKE AND SWA'IH TURNER Original Filed Aug. 21,1961 R. M. WORREL April 5, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 RICHARD M. WORRELINVENTOR A TTORNEKS April 1966 R. M. WORREL 3,243,945

COMBINED SIDE DELIVERY RAKE AND SWATH TURNER Original Filed Aug. 21,1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 RICHARD M. WORRE' L IN VE N 7' 0/? April 1966 R.M. WORREL 3,243,945

COMBINED SIDE DELIVERY RAKE AND SWATH TURNER Original Filed Aug. 21,1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 RICHARD M. WORREL IN VENTOR MQW April 1966 R. M.WORREL 3,243,945

COMBINED SIDE DELIVERY RAKE AND SWATH TURNER Original Filed Aug. 21,1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 RICHARD M WORREL INVENTOR Mfj/M United StatesPatent 3,243,945 COMBINED SIDE DELIVERY RAKE AND SWATH TURNER Richmd M.Worrel, Fresno, Calif., assignor of one-half to Herbert A. Huebner, LosAngeles, Calif. Continuation of application Ser. No. 132,923, Aug. 21,1961. This application Dec. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 422,074- 12 Claims. (Cl.56-366) This is a continuation of application Serial No. 132,- 923,filed August 21, 1961, now abandoned. The present invention relates toforage implements and more particularly to a combined side delivery rakeand swath turner.

In the harvesting of forage, such as alfalfa, straw, grass, sweet potatovines and the like, it has long been the pracrice to cut the forage,permit it to cure while lying on the ground, and subsequently to rakethe forage for convenience in stacking, baling, or other harvestingoperations. In humid climates the presence of moisture has required theturning of the forage during its curing. The usual procedure is to rakethe forage subsequent to cutting into relatively light windrows which,after a period of curing, are inverted to attain greater uniformity ofcuring by an operation known as swath turning. Thereafter the curedlight windrows are raked into larger windrows for handling convenience.

Originally, swath and raking operations were necessarily performed withseparate implements. With the advent of rotary side delivery wheelrakes, it became possible to provide combined side delivery rakes andswath turners. However, such devices have heretofore required eitherextensive frame modification and adjustment in converting between rakeand swath turned adjustments or the dismounting and relocating of theraking wheels in the frames utilized for such implements. Both taskshave involved more eifort and time than desired and the structuresinvolved, although generally accepted in certain areas, have been morecomplex and expensive than preferred.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an improvedcombined side delivery rake and swath turner.

Another object is to provide such an implement which can be more quicklyand easily converted from a rake to a swath turner and back again thanpreviously possible.

Another object is to provide such an implement which is simpler instructure than those previously provided for the purpose.

Another object is to provide such an implement which is more economicalto produce than those previously available for the purpose and which,because of its simplicity, is readily manufactured in a durable form.

Another object is to provide such an implement having a skewablepolygonal frame which is convertible for raking and swath turningoperations by skewing of the frame.

Another object is to provide such an implement which is suitable fortractor motivation and which can be converted by a tractor operator forraking and swath turning purposes without assistance and with a minimumof effort.

Further objects and advantages will become more fully apparent in thesubsequent description in the specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an oblique side elevation of a first form of a side deliveryrake and swath turner embodying the principles of the present invention,viewed in parallel to raking wheels employed therein, said implementbeing "ice shown coupled to a tractor which is fragmentarilyillustrated.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1 adjusted forraking purposes.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2 adjusted forswath turning.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary somewhat enlarged plan view of a tongue couplingmember of the first and third forms of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of a rearward endportion of the implement, as viewed from line 66 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a second form of the present invention adjustedfor raking purposes.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of a tongue couplingmember of the second form, as viewed from line iii-10 in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the second form of the present inventionadjusted for swath turning purposes.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of the coupling member ofthe second formshown in a position intermediate the adjustments forraking and for swath turning.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a third form of the invention adjusted forraking purposes.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation taken on line 1414 ofFIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation taken on line 15-15 ofFIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the third form of the invention adjusted forswatch turning.

FIG. 17 is a plan view of a fourth form of the present inventionadjusted for raking.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged section taken on line 1818 of FIG. 17. v

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation taken on line 1919 ofFIG. 17.

FIG. 20 is a plan view of the fourth form of the invention adjusted forswath turning.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings:

As will become apparent in the description of the four illustrativeforms, the essence of the invention resides in the provision of aplurality of work members or raking sub-assemblies 31 each of which isadapted to engage forage disposed on the ground and during earthtraversing movement to gather and to turn the forage transversely ofsaid movement, and means mounting said sub-assemblies for earthtraversing movement and adjustable relative positioning between a rakingadjustment with said sub-assemblies arranged to feed said forage fromone to another into a common windrow and a swath turning adjustment withsaid sub-assemblies spaced to discharge into separate windrows. Themounting means or frames are individually identified by the numerals 31,32, 33 and 34, respectively, for the four forms of the invention, andeach is shown coupled to a prime mover or tractor 35 for earthtraversing movement.

It will be noted that each of the raking sub-assemblies 36 isillustrated as including three rotary raking wheels 40 mounted inoverlapping echelon relation oblique to the direction of travel of thetractor 35 and for inde pendent elevational movement in the manner shownand described in my co-pending application Serial No. 101,- 779. It isto be understood that each sub-assembly may consist of any desirednumber of raking wheels or suitable working members of any type desired.

8 is a vertical section taken on line 8-8 of As illustrated, eachsub-assembly 30 consists of a central wheel rotatably mountedconcentrically on an axle 41. A hearing 42 is mounted on the axleforwardly of the central raking wheel and a crank arm 43 obliquelyforwardly extended there-from. A forward raking wheel is journaled onthe extended end of the crank arm for floating elevational movement in aplane substantially parallel to the central raking rwheel. Similarly, abearing 44 is mounted on the axle 41 rearwardly of the central rakingwheel, a crank arm 45 is obliquely rearwardly extended therefrom, andmounts a rear raking wheel for floating elevational movement insubstantially parallel relation to the central and forward rakingwheels. As shown in the designated co-pending application, the arms 43and 45 may be resiliently supported, if desired, and any suitable means,not here shown, may be utilized for raising and lowering the arms, evenremotely from the tractor, if desired. Facilities for such operation areknown and constitute no essential part of the present invention.

While the raking sub-assemblies 30 are identical in the four forms ofthe invention, the frames 31, 32, 33 and 34 are structurally differentalthough directed to the attainment of equivalent adjustments. As thedescription pro gresses, it will be noted that frame 3-1 of FIGS. 1, 2and 3 and frame 32 of FIGS. 9 and 11 are skewa-ble substantiallytriangular frames. Frame 33 of FIGS. 13 and 16 and frame 34 of FIGS. 17and 20 are skewable parallelogram-triangular frames.

FIRST FORM Referring to the first form of the invention, the frame 31consists of a substantially straight tongue 50 and an angular tongue 51.The tongues have rearward ends which are pivotally interconnected infixed spaced relation by a spacer element 52. The tongues have forwardend portions which converge and are pivotally interconnected inadjustable relation by a coupling member 53. The rearward end portionsof the tongues 50 and 51 are substantially parallel and constitute theaxles 41, each of which mounts a raking sub-assembly 30, in the mannerdescribed.

The coupling member 53 includes a sleeve 54 slidably mounted forlongitudinal adjustment'on the forward end of the tongue 50, as bestshown in FIGS. 4 and 5. A flange 55 is transversely extended from thesleeve. A tubular fitting 56 provides a cylindrical portion which isfitted to the forward end of the tongue 50 and secured thereto as byrivets 57. The fitting has a bifurcated forward end which receives theflange 55 and is pivotally secured thereto by a pin 58 having aretaining nut 59.

It will be understood that the sleeve 54 can slide back and forth on itstongue 50 so as to make possible the skewing of the frame 31 between theraking position shown in FIG. 2 and the swath turning position shown inFIG. 3. As a convenient expedient for selectively latching the sleeve inthese positions, a pair of bores 60 and 61 are provided in the tongue50. A pair of ears 62 are upwardly extended from the sleeve and mount abellcrank 63 pivotally therebetween on a pin 64. The bellcrank has adetent 65 extended through an opening in the sleeve selectively toengage the tongue 50 Within the bores 60 and 61. For convenience ofoperation, the bellcrank has an upwardly extended arm to which anoperating lanyard 66 is connected. A tension spring 67 is also connectedto the upwardly extended arm of the bellcrank and to an anchor 68integral with the sleeve rearwardly of the bellcrank. The bellcrank andits associated mounting and actuating parts constitute a latch mechanismwhich is generally identified in FIGS. 2 through 5, 13, 16, 17, 19 and20 by the numeral 69.

The tongues 50 and 51 are conveniently tubular and the tongue 50 has adraft connection 70 rigidly afijxed to the forward end thereof. As aproduction expedient, the axles 41 are shafts which are fitted into thetubular portions of the tongues and are rigidly secured thereto,

as by welding at 71. The axles 41 are cylindrical where engaged by thebearings 42 and 44 as well as where engaged by the hub of the centralraking wheels 40 but rearwardly of the rear bearing 44 are forged orotherwise formed to a square cross section, as best shown in FIG. 8. Theextreme rearward end portion of each axle provides a flange 72. Each endof the spacer element 52 is provided with bifurcated flanges 73 whichreceive the flanges 72 therebetween. Pins 74 having retaining nuts 75extend through the flanges 72 and 73 and serve pivotally to interconnectthe tongues and the spacer element.

A transversely square box member 76 is fitted to the squared portion ofeach axle and thus is non-rotatably mounted thereon. It is held inposition by abutment with the spacer element 52. An elongatedcylindrical socket member 77 is rigidly mounted on the box member 76 andis extended downwardly therefrom. A shaft 78is journaled in the socketmember and provides a fork 79 which rotatably mounts a ground wheel 80.A bracket 81 is rigidly extended radially from the lower end of thesocket member 77. A bracket 82 is radially extended from the shaft 78 infacing engagement with the bracket 81. A bore is provided in the bracket81 which registers with an arcuate slot 83 in the bracket 82. A bolt 83is extended through the bore and slot and receives a nut 86 which whentightened secures the brackets in adjusted rotational relation, holdsthe socket member and tubular member in association, and determines theangularity of the wheel with respect to the frame 31. The Wheels 80 andthe described associated structures for mounting the rearward endportions of the tongues on the wheels constitute frame support and guidemembers, indicated generally at 87, and subsequently so referred toherein. As shown, the rearward end of each tongue in each of theillustrative forms of the invention is borne by a support and guidemember 87.

SECOND FORM The second form of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 9through 12. The frame 32 thereof is of the same structure as the firstform except for the substitution of a coupling member forthe couplingmember 53 of the first form and in that the second form has a differentadjustment action. Thus, frame 32 employs the described tongues 50 and51 which mount raking sub-assemblies 30 and have rearward end portionssupported by frame support and guide members 87 and which are pivotallyinterconnected by a spacer element 52 at 74.

In the second form of the invention, the forward end of each tongue isprovided with a sleeve 101 which is welded or otherwise rigidly securedthereto. A pair of spaced ears 102 extend endwardly therefrom and areadapted to receive a drawbar 103 of the tractor 35 therebetween. Theears constitute a clevis which is releasably connected to the drawbar bya removable pin 104 in, the well known manner. The ears are also spacedso as to be able slidably to receive therebetween the tongue op.- positethat on which they are mounted. Congruent upper and lower bellcranks 105each have legs 106 pivotally connected to the sleeve mounted on thetongue 51 at 107 in spaced relation to its clevis ears for pivotalmovement about an erect axis. Each bellcrank also has an elbow 108pivotally connected to the sleeve mounted on the tongue 50 at 109 inspaced relation to its clevis ears also for movement about an erectaxis. Each bellcrank also has an extended leg 110 having a bore 111therethrough. As will subsequently become apparent, the legs 110 areparallel and constitute a clevis which also can. be connected to thedrawbar 103, as shown in FIG. 12, in adjusting the frame 32 betweenraking and swath turning positions. In raking adjustment, the ears 102on the tongue 51 extend above and below the tongue 50. A pin 112 isextended through the bores in the ears of the sleeve on the tongue 51and serves releasably to lock the tongue 50 therebetween.

THIRD FORM The frame 33 of the third form of the invention utilizes arigid tongue 150 and an articulated tongue 151. As before, the forwardportions of the tongues are conveniently tubular and axles 41 arerigidly mounted in their rearward end portions. Also, as before, theaxles are substantially parallel and are supported by support and guidemembers 87 of the form previously described. Forward and rearward spacerelements 152 and 153, respectively, pivotally interconnect the tonguesin parallel spaced relation by means of pivot pins 154 and with theaxles 41 form a parallelogram. Each axle mounts a raking sub-assembly 30of the form described.

The forward end portion of the tongue 150 is provided with a draftconnection 70. Similarly, the forward end of the tongue 151 is slidablyand pivotally connected to the tongue 151 by means of a coupling member53 provided with a latch mechanism 69, likewise previously described.

As best shown in FIG. 15, the tongue 151 is articulated at the corner ofits juncture with the parallelogram portion of the frame formed by thespacer elements 152 and 153 and the axles 41. This is convenientlyaccomplished by extending the pivot pin 154 through ears 160 and 161formed on divided portions of the tongue at said corner and through ears162 provided on the end of the spacer element 152. It will be apparentthat the parallelogram portion of the frame can be skewed, as desired,by moving the sleeve 54 of the coupling member 53 fore arid aft on thetongue 150 which provides bores 163 and 164 adapted to receive thedetent of the latch mechanism 69 borne by the coupling member.

FOURTH FORM The frame of the fourth form of the invention issubstantially similar to that of the third form except that it utilizesa pair of rigid tongues 170 and 171. The tongues each provide axles 41which mount raking subassemblies 30 in the manner previously described.Spacer elements 172 and 173 pivotally interconnect the rearward endportions of the tongues fore and aft of the sub-assemblies 30 inparallel spaced relation by means of pivot pins 174. As before, therearward end portions of the tongues are supported by support and guidemembers 87.

The forward end of each tongue is provided with a draft connection 7%and the connections are adapted for alternate connection to the drawbar103 of the tractor.

Because of the rigidity of the tongues 170 and 171 a different type ofcoupling member 179, best shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, is employed. Anelongated sleeve 18-0 is slidably mounted on the tongue 170 and asimilar sleeve 181 is slidably mounted on the tongue 171. The sleevesmay be rigidly interconnected since the tongues are always in preciselythe same angular relation but it is found to facilitate slidablemovement on their respective tongues if they are pivotallyinterconnected. This is conveniently accomplished by providing a pair ofarcuate plates 182 and 183. The plate 132 is welded tangentially to thebottom of the sleeve 180 and the plate 183 is welded tangentially to thetop of the sleeve 181 so that the plates are in facing engagement.Aligned bores are formed through the plates rearwardly of theintersection of the sleeves and a pivot bolt 184 extended therethrough.A pair of jamb nuts 185 are screw-threadably mounted on the pivot boltto retain it in position. So interconnected, the sleeves may easily becorrespondingly slid fore and aft on their respective tongues incidentto skewing of the frame 34, as will hereinafter become more clearlyapparent.

Latch mechanisms 69, previously described, are provided on each of thesleeves and are adapted releasably to engage forward bores 190 andrearward bores 191 in their respective tongues.

6 OPERATION The operations of the four forms of the subject inventionare essentially similar and are briefly reviewed at this point. It willbe recalled that the frame 31 of the first form of the invention is askewable substantially triangular frame utilizing a pair of rigidtongues and 51. The second form of the invention employs a skewablesubstantially triangular frame 32 which also utilizes the rigid tongues50 and 51 but provides a toggle connection for the forward end portionsof the tongues resulting in a somewhat different skewing action. Theframe 33 of the third form is a skewable parallelogramtriangular framewhich utilizes a rigid tongue 150 and a tongue 151 which is articulatedat its juncture with the parallelogram portion of the frame. The frame34 of the fourth form of the invention is likewise ofparallelogramtriangular form but it utilizes rigid tongues 1'70 and 171and a different coupling member 179 from that indicated at 53 employedin the first and third forms of the invention and at 100 in the secondform. In each instance, the raking sub-assemblies 39 are aligned forcooperative action for raking purposes, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 9, 13and 17, and are moved relatively axially, and thus misaligned, for swathturning purposes, as shown in FIGS. 3, 11, 16 and 20.

As is well known in rotary side delivery wheel rakes, the raking wheelsare rotated during earth traversing movement by contact with the forageand/or ground and exert a lateral force on the rake incident to lateralmovement of the forage. Such force must be resisted and the wheels servethis purpose in all illustrated forms of the invention. It will also berecognized that the wheels of the support and guide members 87 arealways arranged in parallelism and through their angular adjustment withrespect to their various frames determine the angularity of the rakingwheels 40 with respect to the direction of travel. For illustrativeconvenience, the raking wheels 40 are shown in approximately as great anangular relation to the direction of travel as is practical. Ifoperating conditions are such that the raking wheels do not properlyoperate at such angularity, the nuts 86 are loosened on the bolts andthe angularity of the ground wheels 89 adjusted, as desired, to achieveoptimum raking wheel angularity and the nuts tightened to retain suchadjustment.

FIRST FORM Referring specifically to the first form of the invention, itis operableas a rake as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tractor 35 servingto draw the device in earth traversing movement, the raking wheels 40engaging forage on the ground and, being rotated in a common directionas a result thereof, roll the forage into a common windrow, not shown,deposited by the rearwardmost raking wheel.

To convert from a rake to a swath turner, either the rearwardmost rakingwheel 40 of the forward raking subassembly 30 or the forwardmost rakingwheel of the rearward sub-assembly is pivoted out of the way to permitthe sub-assemblies to pass each other. It will be understood that eitherof such raking wheels may be retracted. It is not necessary to retractboth. In FIG. 2, the retracted positions of both of said wheels areshown in dashed lines. The lanyard 66 is tensioned to remove the detent65 from the bore 60. The tractor is then backed to skew the frame fromthe position shown in FIG. 2 to that shown in FIG. 3. The lanyard isthen released and the detent 65 permitted to drop into the bore 61. Insuch adjust ment, the left sub-assembly 30 is positioned rearwardly ofthe right sub-assembly and cooperative action to discharge into singlewindrow is impossible. So adjusted, the retracted raking wheel isreturned to operating position and the implement is drawn by the tractorso as to encounter forage in two separate swaths. If the forage hasalready been windrowed, the windrows are turned. If the forage has notpreviously been windrowed, the subassemblies deposit encountered foragein two windrows smaller than that formed by the device when employed asa rake and thus more readily dried.

To convert from a swath turner to a rake, one of the adjacent rakingwheels of the sub-assemblies is raised to permit the sub-assemblies topass, the lanyard is tensioned to withdraw the detent 65 from the bore61 and the tractor 35 driven forwardly until the frame 13 is skewed tothe adjustment shown in FIG. 2 whereupon the lanyard is released and thelatch mechanism 69 locks the frame in such adjustment.

SECOND FORM Referring to the second form of the invention, it isoperated as a rake when adjusted as shown in FIG. 9. Upon forwardmovementof the tractor 35, each raking wheel is rotated by forage whichis gathered and rolled laterally into a single windrow discharged by therearwardmost raking wheel.

As before, to convert from a rake to a swath turner, one of the adjacentraking wheels 40 of the raking subassemblies 30 is pivoted upwardly onits respective arm 43 to permit the sub-assemblies to pass. The pin 112is withdrawn to release the tongue 51 from its connection to the tongue50. The pin 104 is withdrawn to disconnect the implement from thedrawbar 103. The drawbar then is connected to the legs 110 of thebellcrank by aligning the bores 111 with the bore in the drawbar andextending the pin 104 therethrough. The tractor is driven forwardly toturn the bellcrank to the position shown in FIG. 12. The pin 104 isagain withdrawn and the drawbar connected to the ears 102 on the tongue51 by reinsertion of the pin 104 therethrough. The tractor is thendriven forwardly and turned to the left causing the drawbar 51 to crossin front of the drawbar 50 and moving the drawbar 51 forwardly withrespect to the drawbar 50. This forces the raking assembly 30 on theleft rearwardly relative to the raking assembly on the right. When thishas been accomplished, the elevated or retracted raking wheel isreturned to operable position, the pin 112 is extended through the boresin the ears on the tongue 50 and thus serves to interconnect thetongues.

The described conversion from the raking adjustment of FIG. 9 to theswath turning adjustment of FIG. 11 provides a convenient powered methodof effecting the conversion. In most instances, it is not necessary toconnect the drawbar to the leg 110 of the bellcrank as an intermediatestep, the bellcrank having sufficient leverage that the describedadjustment can be made manually. It will be apparent that during suchadjustment, the rigid tongues 50 and 51 Pivot outwardly about theirrespective connections to the spacer element 52 and then toward eachother as the adjustment is completed.

In operation as a swath turner, the implement adjusted as shown in FIG.11 is drawn over the ground by the tractor 35 and the rakingsub-assemblies 30 engage independent swaths of forage or separatewindrows, turn the forage or windrows encountered and discharge theforage or windrows in two separate windrows at the rearward edge of therearward raking wheel 40 of each sub-assembly.

THIRD FORM The third form of the invention is operated as a rake in theadjusted position shown in FIG. 13. To convert to a swath turner, one ofthe adjacent raking wheels 40 of the sub-assemblies 30 is raised topermit the subassemblies to pass, as before. The lanyard 66 is tensionedto release the latch mechanism 69. The coupling member 53 is then slidforwardly on the rigid tongue 150 as permitted by the articulation ofthe tongue 151 at its juncture with the parallelogram portion of theframe. This action may be conveniently accomplished by backing thetractor 35 to force the tongue 150 rearwardly through the couplingmember 53 as the lanyard is pulled tightly enough to'release the latchmechanism and to keep the coupling member from traveling rearwardly withsaid tongue. Such relative movement skews the frame to the adjustmentshown in FIG. 16. When so adjusted, the lanyard is released so that thespring 67 can thrust the detent 65 into the bore 164. The elevated orretracted raking wheel is, of course, returned to operable position, ifdesired, when the swath turning adjustment is made. So conditioned, thetractor is employed to draw the implement so that the sub-assemblies 30gather and turn encountered forage or windrows, as previously described.

To reconvert to a rake, one of said adjacent raking wheels is againretracted to permit the sub-assemblies to pass, the lanyard 66 is drawnto release the latch mechanism 69, and the tractor is driven forwardlyuntil the resistance to forward travel offered by the raking wheels 40skews the frame 43 to the adjustment shown in FIG. 13. Thereupon thelanyard is released and the spring 67 causes the detent 65 to drop intothe bore 163.

FOURTH FORM The fourth form of the invention is employed as a rake inthe adjustment shown in FIG. 17 in which the tractor is coupled to thesubstantially straight tongue and the sleeves and 181 are locked inposition on their respective tongues by the detent 65 of their latchmechanism 69 dropping into the bores 191.

To convert to a swath turner, one of the adjacent raking wheels 40 ofthe sub-assemblies 30 is retracted, the lanyards 66 are pulled torelease the latch mechanisms 69 and the tractor is backed to force thetongue 170 rearwardly through its sleeve 180 as the lanyard holds thesleeve against rearward movement. The detent of the latch mechanism 69on the sleeve 180 is permitted to drop into its bore when the tongue 170is moved rearwardly to swath turning position. The tractor is thencoupled to the forward end of the tongue 171 and, if it is not alreadythrust rearwardly through its sleeve 181, the tractor is backed toaccomplish the purpose and the latch mechanism 69 on the sleeve 1S1operated to permit the detent to be received within the bore 190 in thetongue 171. So adjusted, the implement is drawn in earth traversingmovement and the sub-assemblies perform their swath turning functions inthe manner previously described.

In converting to a rake, the tractor 35 is coupled to the forward end ofthe tongue 170, the latch mechanisms 69 released by pulling on thelanyard, and the tractor driven forwardly until the frame 34 is skewedto the adjustment shown in FIG. 1 whereupon the latch mechanisms arereleased and their detents engage in the bores 191 locking the frame inraking adjustment.

Normally, the guide wheels 80 of the support and guide members 37 neednot be angularly adjusted in converting the structures between theraking and swath turning adjustments. Of course, they may be angularlyreadjusted to increase or decrease the angles of the raking wheels withrespect to the line of travel, as desired, and correspondingly to varythe raking or turning swaths.

The illustrative forms of the invention constitute simplified structuresfor achieving the combined raking and swath turning operations. Beingsimplified, they are more economical and trouble-free than the previousdevices provided for the purpose. They have in common that their framesare skewed to one position to align the raking wheels in cooperativeadjustment whereby they may concurrently engage and roll a commonwindrow. By simply shifting the sub-assemblies relatively foreand aft,the raking alignment is disrupted so that each subassembly operatesindependently for tedding, swath turning, and windrow turningoperations. The adjustments are speedily and easily accomplished. Exceptfor the retraction of an adjacent raking wheel to permit thesubassemblies to pass each other, all conversions can be made withoutrequiring an operator to dismount from the tractor, and even rakingwheel retraction from the tractor is possible by the incorporation ofdevices already known in the art for the purpose. All of the forms ofthe invention permit the conversion without substantial framereconstruction or dismounting and remonnting of any of the rakingwheels.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what isconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention,

which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to beaccorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and allequivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A combined side delivery rake and swath turner comprising a rigidsubstantially straight tongue having predetermined forward and rearwardend portions, a rigid angular tongue having predetermined forward andrearward end portions, means pivotally interconnecting the forward endportions of the tongues, a substantially rigid spacer pivotallyinterconnecting the rearward end portions of the tongues in spacedrelation with said end portions substantially parallel, rakingassemblies individually mounted on the rearward end portions of thetongues, the means pivotally interconnecting the forward end portions ofthe tongues including a first element mounted on the straight tonguehaving a connector portion pivotally connected to the forward endportion of the angular tongue and adjustably shiftable longitudinally ofsaid straight tongue between predetermined positions with said rakingassemblies in cooperative proximity and in spaced relation, and meansfor releasably latching said connector portion selectively in saidpredetermined positions.

2. A combined side delivery rake and swath turner comprising a skewableframe including a pair of rigid tongues having spaced rearward endportions and convergent forward end portions adapted for connection to adraft appliance, one of said tongues being substantially straight,directional control means mounted on the tongues in supporting relationto the rearward end portions thereof, a substantially rigid spacerpivotally interconnecting stantially parallel relation to each other andfixed angular relation to their respective forward end portions when theframe is in its predetermined raking and swath turning adjustments, saidtongue interconnecting means including a guide element mounted on theforward end portion of one of the tongues and pivotally connected to theforward end portion of the other tongue interconnecting the tongues andguiding said other tongue forwardly and rearwardly with respect to theone tongue between predetermined positions with the frame in said rakingand swath turning adjustments while the tongues remain interconnected;releasable means latching the forward end portions of the tonguesalternately in said positions, and a plurality of rake sub-assembliesmounted in laterally adjacent relation directly on the rearward endportions of the tongues in fixed angular relation thereto positioned tofeed encountered forage from one to the other when the frame is inraking adjustment and being spaced to preclude such feeding from one tothe other when the frame is in swath turning adjustment.

3. A combined side delivery rake and swath turner comprising a pair ofside delivery rake sub-assemblies adapted during earth traversingmovement to engage forage crops disposed on the ground and to deliversuch crops laterally into a windrow, a pair of tongues havingsubstantially parallel rearward end portions integral therewith andconvergent forward end portions, means plvotally interconnecting therearward end portions of the tongues in fixed spaced relation, one ofthe rake subassemblies being mounted on each of the rearward endportions of the tongues in fixed angular relation thereto, meansinterconnecting the forward end portions of the tongues for relativeforward and rearward adjustable positioning selectively to dispose therake sub-assemblies in cooperative alignment to feed encountered foragefrom one thereof to the other for discharge into a single windrow and aposition shifted fore and aft with respect to each other independentlyto discharge encountered forage into respective windrows, said tongueinterconncting means including a guide element mounted on the forwardend portion of one of the tongues and pivotally connected to the forwardend portion of the other tongue interconnecting the tongues and guidingsaid other tongue forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the onetongue between predetermined positions with the frame in said raking andswath turning adjustments while the tongues remain interconnected, andreleasable means latching the forward end portions of the tonguesalternately in said positions.

4. A combined side delivery rake and swath turner comprising a pair ofside delivery rake sub-assemblies adapted during earth traversingmovement to engage forage crops disposed on the ground and to deliversuch crops laterally in a common direction into respective windrows; aframe including a pair of tongues having substantially parallel rearwardend portions integral therewith and convergent forward end portions; oneof said tongues having fixed substantially aligned forward and rearwardend portions and the other having fixed angularly related forward andrearward end portions; means pivotally interconnecting the rearward endportions of the tongues in fixed spaced relation, one of the rakesub-assemblies being mounted on each of the rearward end portions of thetongues in fixed angular relation thereto; means interconnecting theforward end pontions of the tongues for relative forward and rearwardadjustable movement selectively to dispose the rake sub-assem blies incooperative alignment to feed encountered forage from one thereof to theother for discharge into a single windrow and displaced relativelyforwardly and rearwardly from said alignment to discharge encounteredforage into respective windrows, said tongue interconnecting'meansincluding a guide element mounted on the forward end portion of one ofthe tongues and pivotally connected to the forward end portion of theother tongue interconnecting the tongues and guiding said other tongueforwardly and rearwardly with respect to the one tongue betweenpredetermined positions with the frame in said raking and swath turningadjustments while the tongues remain interconnected, releasable meanslatching the forward end portions of the tongues alternately in saidpositions; and a pair of guide wheels mounted in supporting relation tothe frame rearwardly of the rake sub-assemblies in substantiallyparallel relation and constant angular relation to the rearward endportions of the tongues.

5. A combined side delivery rake and swath turner comprising a frameincluding a pair of tongues having substantially parallel rearward endportions and convergent forward end portions integral with theirrespective rearward end portions, one of said tongues having fixed saidother tongue forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the one tonguebetween predetermined positions with the frame in said raking and swathturning adjustments while the tongues remain interconnected, releasablemeans latching the forward end portions of the tongues alternately insaid positions; a pair of guide wheels mounted in supporting relation tothe frame individually on the rearward end portions of the tongues insubstantially parallel planes oblique to the rearward end portions ofthe tongues; and a raking assembly mounted on the rearward end portionof each tongue each having a plurality of raking wheels mounted on itsrespective tongue in fixed angular relation thereto, the raking wheelsbeing disposed in substantially oblique alignment in substantially erectparallel planes angularly disposed to the planes of the guide Wheels andnormal to the rearward end portions of the tongues and in forwardlyoverlapping relation when the tongues are in raking position whereby theraking wheels feed encountered forage during earth traversing movementinto a single windrow and in swath turning position said raking wheelsbeing arranged in two groups spaced for independent operation.

6. A combined side delivery rake and swath turner comprising a pair ofsubstantially parallel frame axles having tongue portions integraltherewith extended convergently from corresponding ends thereof, one ofthe axles being substantially aligned with its respective tongue portionand the other axle being in fixed angular relation to its respectivetongue portion, a rigid member pivotally interconnecting the axles infixed spaced relation, means interconnecting the forward ends of thetongue portions in alternate positions so as axially adjustably toposition the frame axles with respect to each other, said meansinterconnecting the tongue portions including an element mounted on oneof the tongue portions having a connector portion integral therewithpivotally connected to the other tongue portion, said element beingadjustably positionable longitudinally of its respective tongue portionto move the opposite tongue portion forwardly and rearwardly withrespect thereto, arms pivotally mounted on said frame axles andoppositely substantially horizontally extended therefrom providing armaxles substantially parallel to the frame axles, and raking wheelsjournaled on the arm axles disposed in substantially erect parallelplanes normal to the axles, the raking wheels in one adjustment of thetongue portions being in forwardly overlapping oblique alignment todeliver encountered forage into a common windrow and said raking wheelsin the other of said positions of the tongue portions being disposed inspaced groups adapted to discharge encountered forage into a pair ofseparate windrows.

7. A combined side delivery rake and swath turner comprising a pair oftongues having predetermined forward and rearward end portions, one ofsaid tongues having fixed substantially aligned forward and rearward endportions and the other having fixed angularly' related forward andrearward end portions, a pair of substantially parallel elongatedelements pivotally interconnecting the rearward end portions of thetongues in substantially parallel relation to form a skewableparallelogram therewith, said tongues forwardly converging from saidelements, means interconnecting the tongues in relative forward andrearward adjustment to skew the parallelogram formed by the elements andthe rearward end portions of the tongues, said means interconnecting thetongues including an element mounted on one of the tongues having aconnector portion integral therewith pivotally connected to the othertongue, said element being adjustably positionable longitudinally of itsrespective tongue to move the opposite tongue forwardly and rearwardlywith respect thereto, and raking means mounted on the rearward endportions of the tongues in fixed angular relation thereto and alignableupon skewing the parallelogram to one position to deliver encounteredforage from one to the other into a single windrow and spaced to deliverinto separate windrows when said parallelogram is skewed into a secondposition.

8. In an agricultural implement adapted to be motivated along apredetermined path of travel in earth traversing movement thecombination of a draft frame including a pair of substantially rigidrearwardly divergent draft elements having respective forward andtrailing ends, connecting means pivotally interconnecting the draftelements at respective points adjacent to their forward ends, and alongitudinally'rigid spacer element pivotally interconnecting the draftelements .at respective points adjacent to their trailing ends in fixedspaced relation with said trailing ends in substantially parallelrelation, a pair of laterally spaced work members, means mounting thework members on the :frame in fixed angular relation to the trailingends of the draft elements, the work members having first respectivelongitudinal positions along said path of relative cooperation andsecond respective longitudinal positions of independent operation, saidconnecting means including a first element mounted on one draft elementhaving'a connector 'portion pivotally connecteddo the otherdraft-element adjacent to the forward end thereof and adjustablyshiftable longitudinally of said one draft element between predeterminedpositions with said work members alternately in cooperative proximityand in spaced relation for independent operation; and means forreleasably latching said connector portion selectively in saidpositions.

9. A combined hay rake and windrow turner adapted for connection to aprime mover in a dependently motivated relationship in a predetermineddirection of travel comprising a draft frame including :a pair oflaterally adjacent rigid tongues having convergent forward end portionsand substantially parallel spaced rearward axle end portions, meansinterconnecting the forward end portions of the tongues for relativefore and aft shifting of the tongues, longitudinally of saiddirection oftravel between predetermined raking and windrow turning positions, saidinterconnecting means including an element mounted on one tongue havinga connector portion adjustably positionable longitudinally along itsrespective tongue and pivotally connected to the opposite tongue, a pairof raking assemblies individually mounted on said axle end portions .insubstantially fixed angular relation thereto and being adapted to engageencountered hay and to convey it laterally and obliquely rearwardly inthe frame in a common direction transversely'of the frame during travelof the frame, said raking assemblies being in substantial alignmentobliquely of said direction of travel when the tongues of the frame arein raking positions whereby one of the assemblies is relativelyrearwardly of the other and the assemblies convey hay from one toanother into a single windrow and the assemblies being shifted fromalignment relatively longitudinally of said direction of travel when thetongues are in windrow turning positions whereby the assembliesdischarge encountered hay independently of each other, a rigid beampivotally interconnecting the rearward end portions of the tongues insubstantially constant predetermined spaced relation in the frame inboth raking and windrow turning positions, and means coupling the frameto a prime mover to apply a draft force to the frame and selectively toeffect relative longitudinal shifting of said tongues while maintainingtheir respective lateral positions relative to said direction'of travel,the axle end portions in substantially parallel relation, and the rakingassemblies'in fixed angular relation to the tongues.

10. A combined hay rake and windrow turner comprising a rigidsubstantially straight tongue having predetermined forward and rearwardend'portions, a rigid angular tongue having a forward end portionadjacent to the forward end portion of the straight tongue beingrearwardly divergent from the straight tongue and having a rearward endportion substantially parallel to the rearward end portion of thestraight tongue and spaced therefrom, a substantially rigid spacerpivotally interconnecting the rearward end portions of the tongues inpredetermined fixed spaced relation, a pair of raking assembliesindividually mounted directly on the rearward end portions of thetongues adapted to engage encountered hay and to convey it laterally andobliquely rearwardly in the frame in a common direction transversely ofthe frame during travel of the frame, each raking assembly including arotary raking wheel disposed in a substantially erect plane normal tothe rearward end portion of its respective tongue and fixed in suchrelation thereto, and means interconnecting the forward end portions ofthe tongues for relative forward and rearward shifting of the tonguesbetween predetermined raking and windrow turning positions whilemaintaining the rearward end portions of the tongues in substantiallyparallel relation, said tongue interconnecting means including a firstelement mounted on the forward end portion of one of the tongues formovement with respect thereto and having a connector portion shiftablelongitudinally of said one tongue incident to said movement, a secondelement pivotally connecting the forward end portion of the other tongueto said connector portion whereby the frame is alternately skewed intopredetermined raking and swath turning adjustments by relative forwardand rearward movements of the interconnected forward end portions of thetongues while the tongues remain interconnected, and latch meansreleasably interconnecting the tongues alternately in said positions.

11. A combined side delivery rake and swath turner comprising a draftframe including a pair of substantially rigid rearwardly divergent draftelements having respec' tive forward and trailing ends, connecting meanspivotally interconnecting the draft elements at respective pointsadjacent to their forward ends, and a longitudinally rigid spacerelement pivotally interconnecting the draft elements at respectivepoints adjacent to their trailing ends in fixed spaced relation; a pairof laterally spaced raking assemblies; means mounting the rakingassemblies on the frame in substantially fixed angular relation thereto,said connecting means including a guide element on the forward endportion of one of the draft elements and pivotally connected to theother draft element adjacent to the forward end thereof and guiding saidother draft element forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the onedraft element between a predetermined raking position with the rakingassemblies disposed in cooperative alignment to feed encountered foragefrom one thereof to the other for discharge into a single windrow and apredetermined swath turning position with the raking assemblies shiftedfore and aft with respect to each other independently to dischargeencountered forage into re spective Windrows; and releasable meanslatching the forward end portions of the draft elements alternately insaid positions.

12. In a combined side delivery rake and swath turner adapted to bemotivated along a predetermined path of travel in earth traversingmovement the combination of a draft frame including a pair ofsubstantially rigid rearwardly divergent draft elements havingrespective forward and trailing ends, connecting means pivotallyinterconnecting the draft elements at respective points adjacent totheir forward ends, and a longitudinally rigid spacer element pivotallyinterconnecting the draft elements at respective points adjacent totheir trailing ends in predetermined spaced relation with said trailingends in substantially parallel relation, a plurality of rotary rakingwheels mounted in the rearward end portion of the frame in fixedsubstantially parallel relation oblique to said predetermined path oftravel, said connecting means including a guide element mounted on theforward end portion of one of the draft elements and pivotally connectedto the other draft element adjacent to the forward end thereof andguiding said other draft element forwardly and rearwardly with respectto the one draft element between a predetermined raking position withthe raking wheels disposed in overlapping echelon arrangement to feedencountered forage from one thereof to the other for discharge into asingle windrow and a predetermined swath turning position with theraking wheels shifted axially fore and aft to discharge encounteredforage into a multiplicity of Windrows; and releasable means latchingthe forward end portions of the draft elements alternately in saidpositions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,941,504 1/1934White 172-588 X 2,657,519 11/1953 Hill 56-37'7 2,836,630 5/1958 Van DerLely et al. 56-377 3,098,341 7/1963 Worrel 56377 FOREIGN PATENTS 196,1642/1958 Austria.

ABRAHAM G, STONE, Primary Examiner, ANTONIO F. GUIDA, Examiner,

1. A COMBINED SIDE DELIVERY RAKE AND SWATH TURNER COMPRISING A RIGIDSUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT TONGUE HAVING PREDETERMINED FORWARD AND REARWARDEND PORTIONS, A RIGID ANGULAR TONGUE HAVING PREDETERMINED FORWARD ANDREARWARD END PORTIONS, MEANS PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTING THE FORWARD ENDPORTIONS OF THE TONGUES, A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID SPACER PIVOTALLYINTERCONNECTING THE REARWARD END PORTIONS OF THE TONGUES IN SPACEDRELATION WITH SAID END PORTIONS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL, RAKINGASSEMBLIES INDIVIDUALLY MOUNTED ON THE REARWARD END PORTIONS OF THETONGUES, THE MEANS PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTING THE FORWARD END PORTIONS OFTHE TONGUES INCLUDING A FIRST ELEMENT MOUNTED ON THE STRAIGHT TONGUEHAVING A CONNECTOR PORTION PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE FORWARD ENDPORTION OF THE ANGULAR TONGUE AND ADJUSTABLY SHIFTABLE LONGITUDINALLY OFSAID STRAIGHT TONGUE BETWEEN PREDETERMINED POSITIONS WITH SAID RAKINGASSEMBLIES IN COOPERATIVE PROXIMITY AND IN SPACED RELATION, AND MEANSFOR RELEASABLY LATCHING SAID CONNECTOR PORTION SELECTIVELY IN SAIDPREDETERMINED POSITIONS.